Safety installation at a motor vehicle tank

ABSTRACT

A safety installation for a motor vehicle fuel tank from which fuel is pumped through a fuel line to the engine which includes a check valve near the fuel tank in the fuel line that opens in the direction of the suction and which includes a check valve in the fuel return line, if such is provided, which opens in the direction of the suction and which includes a check valve in the fuel return line, if such is provided, which opens in the direction of the return feed.

States atet E1 1:15 1 51 3,67,159 Schlor et a1. Aug. 29, 1972 [541SAFETY INSTALLATION AT A MOTOR [56] References cm VEHICLE TANK UNITEDSTATES PATENTS [72] invent: g a i iga ggggg a gfigf 2,367,055 1/1945Rike et al. 1 37/563 many 1,013,963 1/1912 Smith ..l37/563 1,933,75311/1933 Parsons ..l37/563 [73] Assignee: Daimler-BenzAktjengesellschaft,

Stu ga t- Germany Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek [22] Filed: June29 1970 AttorneyCrajg, Antonelli, Stewart & [21] Appl. No.: 50,606 57ABSCT A safety installation for a motor vehicle fuel tank from 1Forelgll 15111111138110" Priority Dam which fuel is pumped through afuel line to the engine July 4, 1969 Germany p 19 33 which includes acheck valve near the fuel tank in the fuel line that opens in thedirection of the suction and [52] US. Cl ..137/563 which includes acheck valve in the fuel return line if [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 25/00 Suchis Provided which opens in the direction of the 58 Field of Search..137/563 Suction and which includes a check valve in the fuel returnline, if such is provided, which opens in the direction of the returnfeed.

3C1, lDmwing 1 SAFETY INSTALLATION AT A MOTOR VEHICLE TANK The presentinvention relates to a safety installation at a motor vehicle fuel tank,from which the fuel is drawn-in with the aid of a pump into a fuel lineleading to the engine.

The present invention is concerned with the aim to provide a safetyinstallation in which in case of a break of the fuel line, the fuel linecloses immediately.

The underlying problems are solved according to the present invention ina simple manner in that a check valve opening in the suction directionis arranged at the fuel tank.

it is achieved by the present invention that in case of a break of thefuel line at any place between the fuel tank and the engine, the checkvalve in the absence of suction in the fuel line closes instantaneouslythe fuel tank and prevents a running out of fuel. The danger of fire isconsiderably decreased thereby.

According to a further feature and development of the inventive conceptwith the type of a fuel tank, in which terminates a fuel return line, acheck valve opening in the direction of the return feed may be arrangedin this return line. In case of a break of the fuel return line, thereturn feed pressure decreases in this line whence the check valvecloses and seals the fuel tank.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asafety installation for a motor vehicle fuel tank which avoids by simplemeans the aforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered in theprior art.

Another object of the present invention resides in a safety installationfor a motor vehicle fuel tank which efiectively prevents the running outof fuel out of the tank in case of breakage or leakage in the fuel line.

A further object of the present invention resides in a safetyinstallation of a motor vehicle fuel tank which not only closes the feedline in case of failure or breakage of the line but also seals the tankwith respect to the return line in case of failure or breakage in thelatter line.

Still another object of the present invention resides in a safetyinstallation in a motor vehicle tank which minimizes the dangerof fireas a result of fuel running out of the tank in case of break in the fuelline system.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more obvious from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, and wherein:

The single FIGURE is a schematic view of one embodiment of a safetyinstallation for a fuel tank in ac-' cordance with the presentinvention.

Referring now to the single figure of the drawing, reference numeral 1designates a conventional fuel tank from which leads a fuel line 2 tothe engine (not shown) in a motor vehicle. The fuel is sucked-in by apump (not shown) arranged in proximity to the engine. A return line 3leads from the engine to the fuel tank 1 through which excessivelysupplied fuel is forcedv back to the fuel tank 1.

In order to prevent, in case of a break .of the fuel line 2 and of thereturn line 3, a flowing out of fuel but of the fuel k 1, the ec v e Aofc ventio onstructiori i s arranged rn 51e fxel line in proxi n i itgto the fuel tank 1 which opens in the suction direction, whereas thecheck valve 5 also of conventional construction is provided in thereturn line 3 in proximity to the fuel tank 1, which opens in thedirection of the return feed.

If the suction of the pump becomes inefiectual in the fuel line 2 as aresult of a break in this line, then the check valve 4 closes the fueltank 1. Also the check valve 5 closes the fuel tank ll if, as a resultof a break in the return feed line 3, the return feed pressure can nolonger act on the check valve 5.

While we have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to those skilled in the art, and we therefore do not wish to belimited to the details shown and described herein but intend to coverall such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope ofthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. A safety installation for a motor vehicle fuel tank of the typehaving fuel sucked by means of a pump into a fuel line system leading toan engine and having a return feed line for returning unused fuel to thefuel tank; said installation comprising: a first check valve meansprovided in the fuel line system which opens in the suction direction,and a second check valve means provided in the return feed line whichopens in the direction of fuel flow in the return feed line, both saidfirst and second check valve means being arranged in proximity to thefuel tank.

2. A safety installation according to claim 1, characterized in that thefirst check valve means is arranged at the fuel tank.

3. A safety installation according to claim 1, characterized in that thesecond check valve means is arranged at the fuel tank.

1. A safety installation for a motor vehicle fuel tank of the typehaving fuel sucked by means of a pump into a fuel line system leading toan engine and having a return feed line for returning unused fuel to thefuel tank; said installation comprising: a first check valve meansprovided in the fuel line system which opens in the suction direction,and a second check valve means provided in the return feed line whichopens in the direction of fuel flow in the return feed line, both saidfirst and second check valve means being arranged in proximity to thefuel tank.
 2. A safety installation according to claim 1, characterizedin that the first check valve means is arranged at the fuel tank.
 3. Asafety installation according to claim 1, characterized in that thesecond check valve means is arranged at the fuel tank.